


I’ll make this like home

by definitelynotafan



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Harry seems like a hipster, Hate to Love, Liam is So Done, M/M, Niall is asexual, No Smut, Sort Of, Weed mention, alcohol mention, almost no angst, implied former bullying, sex mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-06-22 16:47:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15586308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/definitelynotafan/pseuds/definitelynotafan
Summary: Liam really doesn't want to work with that fucking hipster Styles. But he has to.Louis really wants to work with Zayn. But he can't.It works out well for everyone.





	I’ll make this like home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fantasima](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fantasima/gifts).



> Originally posted for the Lirry Fic Exchange 2017 but since the authors were never revealed I’m posting it again. 
> 
> I haven’t reworked it so I’m not 100% happy with it but I still wanted it to be here.

“Payne?” Professor Brunetta calls out. “You’re with Styles.”

Liam looks up at the mention of his name. The assignment would be worth 50% of their overall grade and for the past three days he had been sleeping terrible because of it. It doesn’t seem fair to him to make half of his grade depend on how well he and some random fellow student can work together. And Liam says that as a team player.

He knows that in the music industry the only way to get ahead is work with the people no matter what your personal thoughts are. You can't just not work with one of the best artists just because you don't want to compromise. He wants to produce his own music and give them his style but before he gets ahead, he will have to do what other people tell him to. Probably.

But when he started uni he quickly realised that a lot of the people in his classes don't take it as seriously as he does sometimes. There are a lot of students in his classes that have no idea what they want in life or just take the music classes as their minors. And Liam doesn't want them to mess with his grades. This class was no different. He was over the moon when he found that there would be a producing class this semester and even happier when he found out he was accepted into the class. But a lot of the people were drama students just messing around with song writing. Like Louis. He loves his roommate a lot. He does. But he also knows that the only reason Louis is taking this class is to be closer to Zayn. Liam doesn't know what Louis' plan is farther than get to work with Zayn. Somewhere along the lines Zayn is supposed to fall in love with Louis. Or something like that.

The professor had surprised them by announcing that he will draw the names and announce the pairs. No one gets to choose their partner. They had the whole semester to produce an original song. Any genre goes. Minimum one minute long and no explicit lyrics. At least they had creative freedom. Liam had been mostly worried about working with someone who is able to play an instrument. He himself can play a bit of guitar but he isn't quite sure whether that would be enough. Professor Brunetta had told them to get someone to help them with instruments if it was necessary but he would prefer them to work out all problems on their own. Almost everyone in the class was able to play a bit of an instrument anyway.

Styles. Liam had heard the name. Mostly in stories of other people. Stories that spread around the dorm rooms after weekend parties. Stories of Styles disappearing with someone for an hour and reappearing with his curls dishevel and satisfied smile on his lips. Okay, he has more than heard about him. He had seen him at some of the parties he went to. His name fits him perfectly. Harry Styles is all dark curls and mile long legs in black skinny jeans. He is unbuttoned flower shirts and dimpled smiles. He is flower crowns and sunshine compacted together into person. He is … Whatever. Liam had never talked to him and Harry probably doesn’t even know who he is. That’s okay. He isn't judging. He really isn't. Just because it seems Harry likes to fuck around, doesn't mean his work ethic would be bad. People like sex.

"I'll give you the last 15 minutes of class to find your partner and exchange numbers. Keep in mind that you will have to work out a schedule that agrees with both of you. You will need to book the studio in advance when it actually comes to recording. I don't accept late admissions. You have the whole semester to prepare.”

Liam looks around the room and observes his classmates scrambling around the room, trying to find their working partners. Louis had dashed off towards the professor's desk the second the name following Tomlinson wasn't Malik but Horan and is now one of the people of the queue forming in front of professor Brunetta's desk. Liam doubts Louis has any chance of trading but he admires the dedication. If only Louis would be half as dedicated when it came his academics as he was in trying to get Zayn to notice him.

Liam spots Harry at the back of the lecture hall, talking to some brunette guy. He doesn't seem to be bothered with looking for his partner. It leaves a prickling feeling in Liam's gut. Nevertheless, he makes his way back there, determined to get out of class on time so he has a chance to dash home to grab his work out bag before heading to his job at the coffee shop. It would be pretty late by the time his shift ends and he by all means wants to avoid having to go home first before going to the gym. And skipping his work out was out of the question. Maybe he should start bringing his workout clothes to class with him, he muses.

Harry is still deep in conversation when Liam walks up to him. He is speaking in this slow voice of his that has people, girls and boys alike, swoon. Everyone except for Liam of course.

"... I used to work in a bakery, you know I can make the cakes?"

"Yes." The other guy sighs. "I knooow, Harry. Everyone knows." Liam recognises the accent as Irish.

He doesn't know how to make them notice him. After awkwardly standing next to them for a few moments he decides on a cough.

Both men turn their heads towards him. Liam can see Harry's eyes give him a quick and subtle once over.

Liam refuses to blush.

"Harry?" he asks.

"um ... that's me."

"I'm Liam." Liam supplies.

When he doesn't see even a spark of recognition in Harry's face he adds, "Payne… Liam Payne. We're supposed to be working on the semester project together?"

Harry gives him another once over and Liam regrets not having put product in his hair this morning. He feels vulnerable. There just hasn't been much time between dragging Louis out of bed and making sure they get to class on time. Especially in the beginning of the semester that was a challenge. This is the third year he and Louis are sharing the room and while he doesn’t regret it on bit, it's hard getting used to being more or less the only reason Louis makes it to his 8am lectures on time. On good days Liam even manages to get a cup of tea into Louis hand, it gives him a better personality.

Harry smiles then and extends his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Liam. This is Niall, my flatmate."

"Hi." Irish boy – Niall, Liam reminds himself – supplies.

“Hi.” Liam shakes Harry’s hand and waves at Niall.

“Anyway… I don’t want to interrupt the two of you, I just need to get Harry’s number so we can work out a schedule that works for the both of us.”

Liam gets his phone out of his pocket and hands it to Harry for him to put in his number.

Harry takes the phone off him and quickly punches in his number, seemingly bored by the whole exchange. Liam saves the number under "Styles" before saying his goodbyes. So far, the day can only get better.

The only upside of the quick exchange is that Liam has enough time to go back to his room and pick up his gym bag. He doesn't even have to rush to make it to work on time. As always, work is busy on Mondays. Too many students still too tired from the weekend to make their own coffee come just rushing in on their way to classes, for which many of them are late to already. Liam can identify with their empty faces and dark circles. Around noon Louis stops by.

"Make me some tea." he barks at Liam when it's his time to order.

Liam rolls his eyes but still complies. I wouldn't expect anything different from him.

"Are you gonna pay for it today?"

"Do I ever?"

The answer is no. Louis had decided a long time ago that since Liam was getting free drinks at his place of work, this extends to him as well. He'd do it for Liam, he had reasoned.

"When's your lunch break?"

"Give me 5 minutes."

Louis nods and heads towards one of the tables set up outside the coffee shop. The early autumn sun is still warm and it would be a waste to pass up this great opportunity to catch some sunshine while it lasts.

Liam quickly finishes up the orders of the other people in the queue before looking for one of his co-workers. Danielle is the first one he finds.

"Hey, is it okay if I take my break now?"

She grins at him.

"I saw Louis already, I was coming to take over for you."

"Thanks, you're the best."

"I know I am."

Danielle was one of the people that made working less painful than it had to be. Liam was grateful

to have people like her in his life.

After he throws his apron off in the staff room, Liam grabs a muffin and one of the reject coffees on his way out to Louis.

His stomach had been growling for the past half hour or so.

Louis is halfway through smoking a cigarette when Liam gets to him. He has his sleeves rolled up and his legs stretched out in front of him, trying to use his last chance to get a tan it seems.

"So, how did it go with Brunetta?" Liam asks as he sits down next to him. He takes a sip of the coffee and frowns - it has gone cold already - but keeps on sipping it.

"Ugh," Louis sighs. "He wouldn't let me switch, saying part of this project is to learn cooperation and that I need to give this Horan kid a chance."

Liam nods, keeping his thoughts to himself.

"Who are you paired up with, anyway?"

"Harry Styles."

"Ohhhh, that fucking hipster, right?" Louis says as if he didn’t spend their first year at uni hopelessly pining over that very same Harry. But Liam is going to let that slide.

“Yeah, that one.”

“I bet he writes songs every day.” Louis muses while taking a drag from his cigarette. “He kinda has the look, you know?”

Liam hadn’t thought about it like that. He has always been more into the producing side of making music, figuring out how to make a simple song into a true masterpiece. Remixing or adding background vocals. He never really started from scratch. But Louis is right, Harry looks like he has been writing angsty acoustic songs ever since he could hold a pen. He can see Harry sitting round a camp fire with an acoustic guitar that he had written “make love not war” on it.

“I guess we’ll see.” Liam takes another sip of his disgusting coffee. “Have you talked to your partner yet? Or were you too focused on Zayn?”

“Yeah I got his phone number. He seems nice, I guess. A bit bubbly. He’s just not Zayn, you know?” Louis stubs out his cigarette on the floor. “He wasn’t even offended when he realised that I had tried to switch partners. Just laughed it off.”

“Maybe you can get him to write a song about Zayn’s cheekbones or whatever.”

Liam had meant that as a joke of course but Louis’ eyes light up with a spark of mischief anyway.

“Oh no, leave the poor guy out of his.”

“No, Liam, you’re a genius. Brunetta will make us play the song for the whole group at the end, right? That would be the perfect thing to get Zayn to notice me? It’s kind of romantic if you think about it.”

“What? A stranger singing songs about staring at your face all day?” Liam questions. “Try creepy.”

But Louis isn’t listening anymore. He is already opening the notes on his phone to write down some ideas. Liam shakes his head fondly and returns back to his coffee. He hasn’t thought about what he wants to write the song about really. He is not really on the lyrics side of music. For him, it has always been more about the music and how it all fits together in the end. He loves how a song can elicit reactions and emotions in people without any words. Just a mix of the right sounds mixed together in the right way. The lyrics can be shit, as long as the music is good, people will be moved by it.

Louis gets out another cigarette and lights it up, offering one to Liam as well. Liam checked his watch and took a cigarette out of the pack when he saw that he still had some time left. When he came to uni he had never smoked before and wasn’t drinking. Then he met Louis. Liam has no idea why his parents love Louis so much. They keep asking about him every time he phones home.

“I just texted Niall that I want to write a song about Zayn’s cheekbones.”

“Niall who?”

“Horan. That’s this first name. Irish kid.”

Liam nods. What are the odds of there being more than one Irish Nialls in the class, he thinks.

“I think I’ve met him. He’s Harry’s roommate.”

“Might be, yeah. I think I’ve seen them hang out a few times. Thought it would be weird that they’d be friends. They are so different.”

Liam gives a noncommittal shrug. He only talked to Niall for about two seconds anyway. Next to him Louis whoops.

“Niall said he doesn’t care what our song is about. So I’m making the decision to write it about Zayn.”

Liam rolls his eyes and stubs out his cigarette before finishing his coffee. His break is almost over and he has to go back inside before the lunch rush starts.

“Well, you have fun with Niall. Don’t scare the poor lad away just yet by talking about Zayn for too long, alright? You might need him to pass this class.”

Louis waves and nods but doesn’t look up from his phone or verbally acknowledges that he had listened to what Liam said.

….

 

The rest of his shift passes quickly and Liam is

Liam takes a shower at the gym to avoid the usual chaos that is the washroom in the evening and heads home. On his way home he stops by a pizza parlour and gets a large pizza for Louis and himself because he has long since given up on making Louis cook for him. The day Louis produces something edible in the kitchen all by himself is the day the world ends.

When he gets to their room, Louis is lying on Liam’s bed, on his stomach, glasses perched low on his nose and a notebook open in front of him.

“You know, if you’d clean up your bed, you could actually lie down on it.” Liam says in lieu of greeting as he puts the pizza down on the desk in the middle of the room. The room is tiny, just two beds on either side with bedside tables, one desk in the middle by the windows and two wardrobes on either side of the door. It’s shitty but it’s their shitty room. They’ve been assigned the same room for the past three years and they have made it their own. Like, there is a whole in the wall right next to Liam’s wardrobe from when Louis had smashed his old phone against it; “to prove that nothing breaks a NOKIA 3310”. (Some things do.) There are countless of stains on the wall behind the desk because they keep eating on the desk (Literally on the desk, since there are no chairs it’s either sitting on the desk or sitting on the floor) instead of the shared kitchen at the end of the hall. Sometimes food just lands on the wall. That’s just how it is.

Liam doesn’t wait for Louis and climbs on the table to start eating. He is midway through his first slice when Louis joins him, his phone clutched into his hand.

“What are you doing tomorrow afternoon? You have the morning shift at the coffee shop, right?” Louis asks while chewing.

Liam nods, swallows, then answers.

“I was planning on going through some of the reading I have to do for the music theory course, why? Are you planning anything? The semester just started.” Liam shakes his head. “It’s too early to get high in the middle of the week for no reason.”

“I like the way you think, but no. For once I actually wasn’t planning something like that. I’ve been texting with Niall all afternoon about the song, right? He said he had some great ideas already and wants to go over them together.”

“Oh.” Liam doesn’t know why exactly but he is kind of disappointed. “You want me gone from the room?”

“What? No. Actually, since Harry is your partner, I thought he could come over as well and all of us could work on our songs?” Louis smiles at him, greasy lips and all.

“But we’re supposed to work in our pairs? We can’t work in a group of four?”

“No but I guess we’ll need feedback, right? From someone outside of the group? I don’t know, I just thought we could all work better like that.”

Liam thinks about it for a second. He was not looking forward to meeting with Harry and work on the song if he is being honest. From what he can tell, he and Harry have nothing in common and Liam is not keen on either fighting about music or awkwardly sitting next to each other working on their own. Maybe with Louis and Niall there it could be a bit less weird? Liam loved Louis and Niall seems like a nice bloke if he is getting along with Louis. Liam knows he has to be. Louis is not exactly an easy character.

“Alright, sure. Why not. I guess I’ll text Harry then.”

“Oh, you don’t need to. I’ll just get Niall to tell him.”

“Okay.”

They fall into comfortable silence for a few minutes while they continue eating. Louis’ phone buzzes from time to time.

 

 

The next day starts like every other day. Liam quietly gets up and grabs a fresh set of clothes while Louis mumbles curse words at him Liam is sure he will have no memory of saying. Louis is a master in talking while half asleep. Liam learnt early on in their friendship not to take in personally. After the shower he grabs his bag from his room and takes the tube to work. He hates the early morning shifts. Many people are too tired to be polite and there are better ways to start the day than getting yelled at. The only reason he is doing the job is for the money. He doesn’t want to just rely on his parents to pay for everything. When he is not making extra strong lattes, Liam is thinking about the song writing session. He has no idea how it will go but he is soothed a bit by the fact that Louis will be there. So far, Louis seems to actually take this assignment seriously for once. Even if the reason for that are Zayn’s cheekbones. Maybe it is because of the excitement, but his shift seems to be over quicker than usual. It feels like he only just started before Danielle comes in and relieves him from his duties. Before he leaves, Liam gets three lattes and a tea to go and some pastries. He even pays for them as he feels like it would be abusing his employee discount if he gets stuff for his friends.

Liam can hear guitar strums coming through the door when he gets to his room. He opens his door and is surprised by how clean Louis’ side of the room is for once. Louis probably has shoved all his clothes into his wardrobe, judging by the way the doors don’t quite close. The second thing he notices is Harry sitting on his bed, a big leather bound notebook in his hand. He is scratching something out with a pencil, not paying attention to Louis and Niall on the other side of the room. Now Liam knows where the guitar strumming is coming from. Niall is sitting on the edge of the desk, strumming away on a guitar that probably had seen better days. Louis is sitting next to him, making notes in on a piece of scrap paper. No one seems to notice Liam until he lets the door fall shut.

“Liam, your home.” Louis smiles. “And you come bearing gifts.”

“Yeah … I thought we all might get hungry. And I brought coffee. Well, tea for you Louis.”

Liam carries the food and drinks over to the desk and sets them down next to Niall who beams at him.

“Nice to see you again.”

“Thanks, you too.”

Harry had put down his notebook and came over to meet them. While both Louis and Niall are wearing comfortable sweatpants and loose fitted shirts, Harry is dressed in tight black jeans and a white button down, the sleeves pushed up to his elbows to show off his tattooed arms. His infamous curls are tied in loose bun at the back of his head. Liam wants to roll his eyes. He wonders whether that man is ever less than perfectly dressed. Does he even own a pair of sweatpants?

“Hi, Liam.” He greets with a smile on his lips.

“Hey. I hope you like coffee.” Liam hands him one of the cups but Harry hesitates before taking it.

“Is there a chance that this is soy milk?”

“Oh shit, sorry. Are you vegan?” Liam should have asked probably.

“No, it’s not like that. But I try to limit the amount of animal products I consume. Especially if I don’t know in which conditions the animals live. A lot of them are treated poorly and I don’t want that be my fault.”

Of course, Liam thinks. He is surprised at himself that he hadn’t guessed Harry would be like that. No one just _looks_ like a hipster.

“Um…” Liam stutters. “I can go check the kitchen whether someone has coffee or tea and soy milk?” He’s sure there is someone that shares the communal kitchen with them that is vegan.

“No, it’s … it’s fine. You didn’t know. I’ll just stick to water.” He hands the cup back to Liam.

Liam catches Louis’ eye who just shrugs and takes Harry’s cup.

“More for us, I guess.”

“The brownie is vegan, that I know.”

But before Harry can react Niall snorts.

“Harry is off the refined sugar right now. No brownies for him.”

“No animal products or sugar, got it.”

Niall, Louis, and Liam get some napkins and brownies and start to eat while Harry messes around with his phone. A rose gold iPhone, for god’s sake, how is this person real, Liam thinks. So far he’s been in the same room as him for what, 15 minutes? And everything Liam imagined he would be like seems to be true. This is going to be one long semester if it the project keeps going like this.

After their coffee break, Louis and Niall actually get back to work. Niall has his guitar back in his hands and Louis is back to listening and making notes. It seems like they are starting with the melody first. A choice Liam approves of.

Harry and Liam other the other hand, do not seem to get along quite as well as their respective roommates. It starts when Harry suggests showing each other previous songs they have written. Harry opens the leather notebook and starts flicking through the pages before stopping at a page he seemed to have searched for.

 _I'm like a crow on a wire_  
You're the shining distraction that makes me fly  
I'm like a boat on the water  
You're the rays on the waves that calm my mind

 _My hands, your hands_  
Tied up like two ships.  
Drifting  
Weightless.  
Waves try to break it.  
I'd do anything to save it.  
Why is it so hard to say it?

 _I've got fire for a heart_  
I'm not scared of the dark  
You've never seen it look so easy  
I got a river for a soul  
And baby you're a boat  
Baby you're my only reason

 _I wanna build you a boat_  
One as strong as you are free  
So any time you think that your heart is gonna sink  
You know it won't  
I wanna build you a boat

 _There's a lightning in your eyes I can't deny_  
Then there's me inside a sinking boat, running out of time  
Without you I'll never make it out alive  
But I know, yes I know we'll be alright

_We sailed the ocean  
And drowned in the waves_

 

Liam reads through it three times before he comments on it.

“You’re a bit fond of water metaphors, are you?”

Harry frowns.

“I don’t know, I guess.” He takes his notebook back from Liam. “That’s my favourites page. I’ve been writing songs down for quite some time.”

That’s something, Liam guesses. At least Harry seems to know what he is doing. The look on his face right now makes Liam feel bad. He hadn’t meant to make fun of him.

“Hey, I’m sorry, that wasn’t meant to make you feel bad. I just noticed.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s–”

“I’m serious, Harry. Louis is into nautical stuff too. He has a tattoo of a compass and piece of rope around his wrist.”

Harry shoves the fabric of is left sleeve further up to reveal three separate tattoos. An anchor, a mermaid and a ship. Until now Liam had not really looked at the tattoos. He had known that Harry Had tattoos, more than him, but he had never bothered to find out what they actually are. While looking at the tattoos this close up, Liam also notices Harry’s arms. They look quite nice. He must work out. Whatever.

“Why don’t we focus on music first, and the lyrics later?”  Liam offers. It gives him a chance to change topic without having accidentally offending Harry again.

Turns out, this was a bad idea as well. Liam and Harry just can’t agree on a genre they both like and feel like they could contribute too. Harry wants something indie and acoustic sounding, Liam is more the RnB type. Liam might be persuaded to something more like acoustic pop but Harry then wants his water lyrics back. This goes on for two hours before Niall declares that he and Louis are calling it a day. Harry and Liam agree to disagree for now and put away their writing as well. Even though Liam has no idea what the other pair has been working on for the last two hours, they both seem content with their progress.

“Did you settle on a theme, then?” he asks them.

“Yeah, mate, like I said… Zayn.”

“And you’re okay with singing a song about crushing on another guy?” Liam asks surprised. He had never heard Niall saying he’s straight but when Louis had talked about Zayn, Niall’s response was that guys weren’t really his area.

“You’re not afraid of people thinking you’re gay?”

Next to him Harry tenses.

“Why would he be worried about that? Do you think it’s a bad thing to be gay?” he narrows his eyes at Liam.

Before Liam can clarify his meaning, Louis jumps in.

“No, Liam is still surprised sometimes that not everyone is a fucking cunt how bullies people for being gay and feels like it’s the worst thing to happen to anyone.”

“Louis …”

“I’m sorry Liam, I shouldn’t have said anything. But it makes me mad, that’s all.”

Harry is staring and Liam and it makes him feel awkward. He is not mad at Louis because he doesn’t really make it a secret that he has been bullied but he doesn’t go announcing that he’s gay really yet. It took him a few months to even admit it to himself.

“No that’s not …  never mind.” He then adds. “He’s right though, I don’t think being gay is a bad thing. I’m just so used to being the butt of the joke for it. My school was shit, let’s just leave it at that.”

Harry and Niall both stare at him, obviously not knowing what to say. It’s that Niall that saves the situation.

“Well, I’m asexual in case anyone is wondering.” He smiles sheepishly.

“Oh. Good to know… so no one in this room is straight?” Liam looks back at Harry. Sure, he’s heard stories about Harry and guys at parties but he doesn’t want to assume anything. But Harry’s answer is a smile.

“Nope, seems like no one is.”

“Wait … you’re okay writing a song about me coming on Zayn’s face?” Louis asks, concern written all over his face.

Niall snorts. “Yeah I’m fine. As long as you don’t make me come on Zayn’s face, I don’t mind. I think it’s hilarious.”

Liam looks back and forth between them.

“You know that Brunetta said no explicit lyrics, right?”

“He said no explicit words, he didn’t say anything about suggestive lyrics.”

“How are you gonna say I wanna come on your face without actually saying it then?” Liam challenges.

Louis’ reply comes without him missing a beat.

“I want to paint you with my colours.”

“I want part of me, stick to you?” Harry suggests with a small smile.

“’I wanna add a piece of me to the artwork that is your face?” Niall giggles.

For the next 15 minutes, all they do is come up with more ways of describing ejaculation on Zayn’s face while avoiding X rated territory. By the time Niall reminds them that he actually has to leave, Liam’s face hurts from laughing and Harry doesn’t look quite as sour as he did before.

After Niall leaves, Harry doesn’t stay much longer as well. He quickly grabs his notebook and awkwardly waves goodbye to Liam and Louis. When he’s gone, Liam falls back onto his bed and leaves out a long sigh. Even with the coffee he had earlier he feels exhausted and it’s not even 6 yet. He was planning on going to the gym after Harry had left but right now he can’t find even an ounce of motivation in him. All he wants to do is lie down and not move for a while.

Louis has a different idea it seems. He is humming the same melody over and over again while typing away on his phone. The humming combined with the clicking sounds the phone makes irritates Liam more than it ever did before. He should be used to it by now. Louis is one of those people that is always humming or singing or drumming his fingers on the table. Most of the time he isn’t even aware of it. Liam often wonders whether it is because he grew up with 6 siblings and is just not used to the quietness. Maybe it’s his way of filling the silence.

“Do you think Harry owns a pair sweatpants?”

“Huh?” Louis looks up.

“I just think he doesn’t look like someone who ever hangs out dressed down, you know?”

Louis stares at Liam for a moment before laughing.

“This is what you think about?”

“I mean … yeah.”

“You’re supposed to work with him, not sleep with him,”

“I don’t want to sleep with him?”

Liam questions Louis’ sanity. How could he think that? He is just genuinely wondering whether Harry is wearing skin tight jeans all day long. That can’t be healthy for his balls. They look uncomfortably tight.

“So, you don’t think he is attractive?”

“Of course, I do. I’m not blind.” Liam knows that objectively speaking, Harry is damn fucking hot. Doesn’t mean he wants to do anything about it. “But you’re attractive as well, doesn’t mean I want to sleep with you, does it?”

Louis snorts.

“I’m way out of your league, Payne.”

“Right, I wouldn’t wanna stoop so low.”

“Well if you don’t wanna sleep with him, how did the writing go, then? Did you get anything done?”

Liam groans at that. He doesn’t really wanna talk about it to Louis. Louis who got on with Niall like a house on fire.

“Fine I guess. He showed me some of his lyrics. All of them nautical metaphors. I guess you’d like them.”

“Did you show him some of the stuff you made?”

Liam’s computer is full of remixes he did and music arrangements he made over the years. Some of the stuff from when he was just starting with music. It’s terrible. But Liam is a strong believer of never forgetting your beginnings. When he feels like everything he does is shit, he goes back to the first remix he ever made and looks at how much better he has gotten at it since. It’s really motivational on bad days. But he is not going to show any of that to Harry. He tells Louis is much, who just shrugs.

“Okay, but about those lyrics you wrote in the summer? You said they were missing something.”

“No. They … no.”

"Fine. I was just trying to help."

Liam must have snapped at Louis too hard.

"I'm sorry." he starts to apologise, "It's just ... those lyrics are kind of private. I don't want Harry, or the whole course for that matter, to hear them."

"No, it's okay. I wasn't thinking. And while we're apologising, sorry for kind of outing you today. I thought when you meant you're not keeping it a secret that you would kind of let anyone know. It was rude of me to just assume things."

Liam thinks about it. He is not mad a Louis, Louis had defended him. He would have told the guys the same thing, probably. Maybe at a later time. 

"It's okay. You didn't know and nothing happened. It's fine, really."

"Okay."

After a while Liam says.

"You wanna come with me to the gym?"

"Have I ever wanted?"

"C'mon. You don't have to work out that hard. I just want someone with me to motivate me. I'm too tired otherwise and I'll regret it tomorrow if I don't go."

"Okay, whatever. Only because it's you."

Liam should not feel as happy as he does about using Louis' guilty feeling to persuade him to go to the gym with him. But he does. Louis comes with him and even though he mainly stands next to Liam and watches him go through his workout, it's way better than being on his own.

 

Liam wakes up the next morning an hour earlier so he can go through the assigned reading he has to do for his music theory class. He had been too tired after the gym so he'd just fallen asleep basically straight after dinner. Because he doesn't want to bother Louis with the light, he packs his books and laptop into his backpack and walks to the university. There is a small coffee shop there in which he can do the work in peace without the fear of getting hit with a pillow.

He sits down on one of the plush sofa like chairs in the back of the store after getting himself an extra strong latte. The barista looks at him with tired eyes, and Liam gives him a smile, knowing the feeling all too well. He has been reading for about half an hour when someone taps him lightly on the shoulder.

"Hey, is it okay if I sit with you?"

Liam looks up. While he had been reading, the shop seemed to have filled up with people. All tables are taken up by small groups of people, some studying, some just having breakfast.

Only then Liam sees who has been asking him for a seat.

"Sure, go ahead." he nods at the empty seat opposite of him. "Zayn, is it, right?"

"Yeah, do we know each other? I'm sorry if I have forgotten you. I'm terrible with names and faces."

Zayn blushes.

"Ha, no don't worry. I've just seen you in one of my courses. Music production."

"Oh right. How are is your project coming along? Mine is going terribly.” Zayn does a quick scan of the room before he continues “I can’t stand my partner to be honest.”

At that, Liam laughs out loud.

“Tell me about it. My partner and me can’t even decide on a genre. And it’s not easy finding a compromise between RnB and hipster indie music.”

“Let me guess, you’re not the one that wants the indie music?” Zayn’s accompanying smile show of his brilliant white teeth behind his plush lips. Liam can definitely see the appeal Louis sees.

“What? You don’t think I look like I’d be into that?” Liam means to be serious but he cannot keep the smile off his face.

“No offence mate, but no you do not.” Zayn is laughing as well.

“Well, I am offended.”

“How about I’ll get you another coffee, then? To make up for it.”

Liam hesitates for a second and thinks about Louis. But it’s only coffee, it’s not like he and Zayn are flirting. He would be a total weirdo to decline and the poor student in him tells him to never decline free drinks.

“Yeah, that’d be great, thanks.”

Zayn returns not 5 minutes later with two steaming cups of coffee and places them on the table in front of them.

“See,” he says, “If we had been paired up, we could have written a sick RnB song and aced this project.”

“You RnB as well? What is your partner trying to make you write?”

“Some break up songs about her ex? I don’t know, she has the lyrics all finished and won’t take any of my ideas into account. Simply refuses to work with me. I’m just gonna sing my parts and then be done with it. I don’t care about the grade anyway.”

“Sounds bad. I’d take my hipster over that any day. But how can you be so calm about your grade?”

“I’m doing English Lit, I just needed some extra courses. If I fail, I’m taking another one next semester, right?”

Liam continues talking to Zayn about music until he has to pack up his bag and rush to class to be on time. He thanks Zayn again for the coffee.

“No worries, man. Hey, can I get your phone number before you leave maybe?”

Again, Liam hesitates. Coffee is one thing, but giving him his phone number? He also doesn’t want to sound like a cocky dick by assuming Zayn wants to ask him out. But at the same time he doesn’t want to upset Louis.

“Look, this will sound really stupid but … if you wanna talk music, sure but if you think about asking me out, and I’m not saying that give of these vibes, but if, I have to say no. I have a friend who kinda has a crush on you and…” Liam trails off awkwardly.

Zayn doesn’t seem offended or weirded out though. He laughs out loud once.

“All right, it’s just for music, I promise. As it is, I kinda have a crush on one of the guys in one of the drama classes I’m taking. But at least now I know how you know my name.”

He hands Liam his phone and lets him type in his phone number. Then he leaves for his class. He might not have done the reading but he can just sit further in the back and keep quiet. No one will notice.

By the time Liam comes home, he has already forgotten about meeting Zayn this morning. Back to back classes and a shift at the coffee shop practically erased the conversation from his mind and it’s only when Liam asks Louis to read the text he just received out loud. Louis had been plying Candy Crush Saga on Liam’s phone as he had run out of lives on his. Liam had assumed that it’s just his mum texting him, as Louis is in the room right now and these are pretty much the only people that regularly text him.

“Liam?” Louis’ voice rings out after a long pause. “Why the fuck is Zayn Malik texting you?”

Liam jumps up from where he had been comfortably lying only moments earlier. He should have texted Louis right after meeting Zayn. But it kind of slipped his mind.

“Oh right yeah. I ran into him this morning and we talked for a bit. Sorry, I kinda forgot to tell you.”

Louis is still staring at Liam’s phone when Liam sits down next to him on his bed to look at the text.

_Heyy, this is zayn malik.. I’m making sure u have my nmbr. … I’m‘writing’ with my partner right now, look as this shit._

Attached was a picture of song lyrics his partner has presumably been writing.

_I'm sitting eyes wide open and I got one thing stuck in my mind  
Wondering if I dodged a bullet or just lost the love of my live_

“You just gave him your number?”

“Yeah well.. we like the same kind of music and we started talking. He hates working with his partner.”

“Are you sure it’s just music?” Louis huffs out a breath.

“Yeah … actually…” Liam thinks about how to phrase it for a moment. “He actually told me he kinda has a crush on someone in his drama class.” “I’m sorry, Lou.” He adds a moment later.

“I’m in that drama class.”

“I know.”

“I wonder who he is talking about. Maybe it’s Perrie. I bet it’s Perrie. She is always talking to him and sitting next to him. Why does she have to be so nice? I actually like her.”

“Just talk to him maybe? It’s not like you usually have trouble making friends.”

Louis looks at him as if he had just tried to make him give up drinking tea for the rest of his life.

“Talk to him? And say what exactly?”

“I don’t know. You never shut up though. Just say hi after class? He likes RnB music. And studies English literature. Use that.”

“Liam … I don’t like RnB and I hate reading. We have nothing in common.”

“Okay then, why do you like him?”

Louis seems to think about it for a moment.

“He is quiet usually but when he does talk he is always smart. He gets this soft smile on his face, you know? We had to do monologues this once and you could tell that he was really nervous and so out if his comfort zone but he still stood in front of the class doing it. And when he thinks no one can hear him, he is sometimes singing really quietly and it sounds lovely. He doesn’t really take notes but he is constantly doodling in this notebook.”

"Talk to him about any of that. What's the worst that could happen to you?" Liam asks. He's never seen Louis like this. He knew Louis had a crush but if he was being honest, he thought it was more of a thing about how good Zayn looks. Just sexual frustration about his looks, not an actual full-fledged crush on him.

"I don't know. He could laugh? I always get so nervous around him."

"I don't think he would laugh. I talked to the guy for 30 minutes this morning and he is just an adorable dork. Just talk to him. Ask him how his assignment for the music class is going. He'll tell you all about it."

Louis sighs again.

"I don't know."

"Oh, c'mon Louis. You can do this, I know you can. Pretend he is me or something if that helps. When do you have drama class next?"

"Tomorrow. Afternoon workshop." Louis mutters.

"Perfect, just talk to him then."

"Maybe. Only if you let me read the texts you've been sending."

"Louis, this is literally the first text I've received."

"Well then, go on, answer it."

Under Louis' watchful eyes Liam replies.

_Ha, thanks for texting me your number. Also, tell your partner that life is spelled with an f, not a v. As a Lit major you should know that. ;)_

Zayn's reply is instant.

_Alrdy told her. doens't give a fuck since we're singin it not handing in the paper._

Louis lets off after watching Zayn and Liam discuss music some more. He just begs to have Liam's phone back to play Candy Crush again.

When Liam wakes up the next morning he is pleasantly surprised that he woke up before his alarm went off. He had nothing planned until around noon when Harry would come around for some more writing. But he really wanted to go to the gym before Harry as he felt like he would be too drained again to do it afterwards. The pleasantness only last or about 10 seconds though, when Liam reaches for his phone to check the time and realises that some time during the night the battery had died and that is the reason for the missing alarm. Some little shit had been playing with the phone half the night apparently and then forgotten to plug it in.

It takes Liam a minute before his phone has enough charge to switch on. 10:37.

"Louis!" he curses and throws his pillow across the room. "Wake up!!"

"What the fuck man?"

Louis sits up and stares back at Liam.

"Did you not plug in my phone after you were done playing? It's ten fucking thirty and I missed my alarm."

Louis yaws.

"You don't have class and you're off work today. Fucking chill man."

Liam continues cursing under his breath as he gets out of bed and scrambles around the room to get his gym stuff. Louis takes no notice of that as he has already fallen back asleep.

If he doesn't have time for a full gym work out, at least he can go for a run.

Running clears Liam's mind. Not as well as a full work out does but it is better than nothing, he thinks. The weather is also not too bad for early Autumn in England. With Louis' deep breathing in the background he puts on his running gear and shoes and starts to make his way outside. Right next to the campus is a small park that most students use for their pre-drinking shenanigans but it also is a nice place for a small mid-morning run. Liam is kind of put off by the fact that he doesn't have his running music but he didn't want to take Louis' phone and listen to his shitty EDM music. Better nothing than tiring yourself out early trying to keep up with those beats Liam thinks.

Since Liam has not phone, he also has no clock, since his watch still isn't fixed from that time he Louis threw drenched him in sticky sweet Gatorade during the summer. Liam just runs and runs and runs until he feels like enough time has passed and his breathing starts to get heavier and heavier. He has broken quite into a sweat and the material of his shirt is sticking to his back. Even with the shorts he still feels like it is hot, the heat making his face just slightly red.

This is how he arrives back at his flat. Of course he forgets his keys and has to knock on the door for Louis to let him in. If the fucker has decided to head out, Liam will kill him.

It is not Louis, however, who opens the door after only a few short moments. Harry is standing in front of him, looking as if he belongs there. For a short, stressful second Liam thinks he might be in the wrong building and that just accidentally found out where Harry lives. Harry's eyes travel all the way down Liam's body once and Liam self-consciously runs his hand through his hair. He must look disgusting all sweaty and red but Harry doesn't even take a step back. He stares at Liam for a moment too long before he shakes his head slightly and moves back into the room wordlessly, letting Liam enter his own flat. Louis is sitting on his bed, his phone in his hand and disgruntled look on his face.

"What the fuck, I've been trying to call you. Where have you been." he asks.

"Running, obviously."

"Couldn't you have picked up to let me know?"

Liam walks to his bed without a word to fetch his - now half charged - phone and waves it around in the air.

"Had to leave my phone here because some idiot had been draining the battery. I thought you might sleep anyway until I come back."

"Well ..." Louis doesn't have a reply to that. "Harry is here." he finishes the sentence.

Liam snorts.

"I can see that. And really Lou? You're making him answer the door? What did your last slave die of?"

Louis smiled

"I'm not only lazy, but also smart."

Harry still hasn't said a word, he is just standing near the door, following that argument with his eyes.

"I'm gonna take a quick shower then. I'll be right back. Promise." he turns to Harry. "I'm sorry, I didn't know how much time has passed. Just sit down on my bed and like, feel right at home."

Harry nods and Liam quickly grabs a towel and heads for the washroom down the hall.

Of course, in his rush to get to a shower, Liam did not bring any space clothes. After a quick but nevertheless refreshing shower, he is faced with either putting his sweaty workout clothes back on or walk back to his room with just the towel around his hips. Liam chooses the latter.

If Liam had thought Harry was staring earlier, he is now shown what staring Harry really looks like. Harry looks up from his spot on the bed when Liam enters and slowly drags his eyes upwards across Liam's body. His mouth parts slightly and he shifts on his spot. Liam grips the towel tighter, afraid it might fall down.

It takes a few more seconds before Harry has the decency to blush and look away. In Liam’s chest, his heart is hammering away like crazy. Harry was just blatendly checking him out. Liam knows that he is objectively speaking not ugly at all. He has a handsome face and the constant gym work out gave him bit of definition on his chest and abs. But Harry doesn’t look like the kind of guy who would go for that. Harry looks like he might go someone equally as hipster looking as he is maybe.

The room is too small for Liam to hide anywhere to change and usually at the gym, Liam has to trouble changing in front of other men. Louis has seen him naked countless of times. But somehoe this not being a gym setting and Harry being here Liam can’t quite get himself to let the towel drop. Under Harry’s gaze he managed to wrangle a pair of clean boxers underneath his towel before he feels comfortable enough to let the towel slide down. He grabs a pair of dark jeans and a tight grey Henley shirt from his wardrobe and changes into them. Only then feels he like he can look Harry in the eyes again.

“I’m sorry. I’m ready now.”

Harry coughs once before he speaks.

“Um … yeah. No worries. Louis told me about your alarm. I get not wanting to skip a workout. I never skip yoga.” He smiles at Liam.

The statement makes Liam instinctively check out Harry’s body again. Today he is wearing his black skinny jeans again (does the man have any non-black, non-skinny jeans?) paired with dark grey loose jumper, the top of it hanging low enough to expose his collarbones. His hair is not in a bun but rather a pair of black sunglasses are holding back the hair from falling into his face.  Even though he has his sleeves pushed up, Liam can’t actually see any muscle definition. Maybe he should be worried why his wondering about Harry’s muscle definition in the first place. Liam decides that changing the topic is the best option.

“Are you ready to start?” he asks.

“Yeah, definitely. Since Louis is here and the weather is kinda nice… maybe we could go to the park and write there?”

“Yeah sound good to me.”

He quickly packs his notepad and a couple of pencils into his backpack. Liam also grabs a jumper as well as his sunglasses before heading out. When the sun hits them, Harry takes out another pair of sunglasses from his back pocket and puts them on before Liam can question what he wants to do with them. He refrains from asking Harry whether he forgot about the pair he was already wearing. Deep inside he knows that Harry knew. Fucking hipster.

They walk about 5 minutes before they sit down underneath an old oak tree. Only now Liam realises that Harry’s backpack is not actually a backpack but in fact a guitar case. He has no explanation how he missed that so far.

“You play the guitar as well?”

Harry opens the case and carefully gets the instrument out. On closer inspection Liam sees that the instrument probably belongs to Niall, is the _NH_ that’s scratched into one of the sides is anything to go on.

“Oh, yeah a bit. Not like really good. But good enough for this probably.” He smiles at Liam. “What about you?”

“Yeah I can manage a few cords. But I can’t really make up my own music. I’m better at the one the computer, I guess.”

“That will come in handy when we record this song.”

“If we ever write one.”

Harry sighs.

“Look, I know that last time didn’t go so well but maybe we can try again today? I have noting planned all afternoon. And like … I’d love for us to try to find a way to make this work. I know it’s part of my fault and uhm … I wanna like, apologise?”

There is something about the way he looks at Liam, as if he is not quite sure whether Liam will accept his suggestion slash apology. Liam can tell even with the sunglasses on Harry’s face.

“I was gonna suggest the same thing actually. I’m sorry, I’m usually not that hard to work with, I swear.”

They both start laughing about their own stubbornness.

“Okay, how are we gonna do this then? Melody or lyrics first?”

“Melody.” Harry decides, a smile still on his lips.

The afternoon goes … well it goes. Even with their promises to try harder they both still are stubborn. They manage to make some compromises but after three hours and countless discussions they decide to take a quick break to both cool off for a bit. Liam really wishes for a cigarette. He never buys them for himself, always takes one of Louis’. Judging from the time, Louis should be on his way home from his lecture. Liam decides to just text him.

He ignores a message from Zayn in his notifications and quickly asks Louis to come and bring cigarettes. And preferably coffee, since he hasn’t had a cup that day yet. He also adds to remember soy milk for Harry.

Louis texts back a simple “k.” and shows up about 15 minutes later. Coffee and cigarettes in his hands. Harry looks surprised when he is handed one of the cups.

“Is it–”

“Yeah, Liam reminded me. Soy milk.”

“Thanks.” He says after taking a sip and smiling into his cup.

Harry continues to watch as Louis hands Liam a cigarette and lights one up himself.

“You work out and smoke?” he raises his eyebrows.

“Um … yeah.” Liam answers lamely.

Louis offers Harry one of the cigarettes.

“Nah. I only smoke when it’s weed or I’m drunk.”

Louis snorts and his face contorts into a crinkly eyed smile.

“That can be arranged, you know.”

“Louis, no. Harry and I need to keep working on that song.”

“What about Saturday, then?”

“What about Saturday?” Both Liam and Louis raise their eyebrows.

“Niall and I and a couple of other people from our building always go out to the pub Saturdays. Why don’t you both just come with us?”

“Sounds good to me. I have the afternoon shift on Sunday.”

Louis nods his agreement as well. It’s been a while since both Liam and Louis have been out, the prices being just too high for their student accounts but Liam finds himself actually looking forward. He’s been saving up some money and he can’t wait to not care about anything for an evening.

Liam finishes his cigarette and puts it out in the grass before taking the stub to the nearest garbage bin. Louis just flicks his just way from him on the ground.

“Play me something you wrote.” Liam says shortly after Louis has left them to get back to work. Until now, Harry had only been aimlessly playing around, no real melody or anything. Liam wants to hear him play.

Harry quickly flics though his notebook before finding what he was looking for. He adjusts the capo and starts strumming. Liam expects him to start singing one of his water lyrics but he never does. He just keeps strumming through what sounds like a verse and a chorus before stopping and looking at Liam. If Liam is being honest, this is the first time that he is impressed by something Harry has written. He loves the easy flow of the melody and the way Harry had looked while he played it. The way the wind had played with his hair while Harry had stuck out the tip of his pink tongue in concentration. Liam really loved the look of that, he has to admit.

“No lyrics?”

Harry shakes his head.

“Nothing I’ve written quite fits it.”

Liam doesn’t really think before he tells Harry to play the first part on repeat again. There is something in the back of his head. An idea beginning to form.

When Harry play the part for the third time, he starts to sing quietly.

 _Make a little conversation_  
So long I've been waiting  
To let go of myself and feel alive  
  
So many nights I thought it over  
Told myself I kind of liked her  
But there was something missing in her eyes

Harry is surprised by it at first and his playing falters for just a second before he continues. He keeps playing even after Liam finishes singing.

Liam’s heart is racing in his chest. He has never shown these lyrics to anyone before, not even Louis. He had told Louis about them, but he had never been quite ready as he felt there was something missing to them. Maybe, a melody to go with them was the only thing he needed. And they fit Harry’s melody perfectly.

“When did you write that?” Harry asks.

“During the summer. After I broke up with my last girlfriend. I’ve … I’ve never shown it to anyone. Something was …missing.” He smiles at Harry.

The smiles he gets in return is breath-taking. Harry eyes start to crinkle slightly and his cheeks dimple. Liam truly thinks he could just sit here and watch Harry smile forever. So he does.

At least until Harry seems to realise that neither of them has been speaking in a while and awkwardly coughs a few times.

“So … I kinda have to leave. Yoga, you know. And I’m having classes all day tomorrow but I’ll see you Saturday, right? I’ll text you the details.”

Harry leaves kind of in a hurry and it takes Liam a while to get up from his spot underneath the tree. Even then he walks aimlessly around the park for a while, wondering if something between him and Harry had changed. It sure felt like something has changed for him.

Louis is lying on his bed when he finally gets home. Liam doesn’t know that he is humming until Louis comments on it.

“Huh?”

“You’re humming.”

“Oh? Yeah, it’s something Harry played today. I guess it’s stuck in my head.”

“So you made progress?”

Liam falls down on his own bed.

“I guess so. He played me a melody he has been stuck on and it fit my lyrics perfectly. It was proper weird.”

He thinks about it for a while.

“Maybe we aren’t so different after all. Just both very stubborn.”

“I talked to Zayn today.” Louis says after a while.

“That’s great, how did it go?”

Louis groans and hides his head in his pillow.

“We paired up for an exercise. He didn’t talk much and kept staring at Perrie. I knew it was her.”

Louis’ words are muffled by the pillow.

“Louis it can’t be Perrie. He said he had a crush on a guy.”

Speaking about Zayn made Liam remember that he had missed a text earlier that he still hasn’t replied to. He lets Louis go on talking into his pillow while he gets his phone out of his pocket and pulls up the message app.

_Zayn: I know I promised to only talk to u abt music but I need to ask u something.._

Liam feels nervous despite not knowing what Zayn has to say. It’s kind of the phrasing that makes Liam think of the all known “We need to talk.” Nothing good ever follows that. He still answeres.

_Liam: Sorry, was out and didn’t see your message until now. Go ahead, ask._

Zayn’s response is almost instant.

_Zayn: ur gay right? I need advice_

Liam snorts once which makes Louis look up from his pillow. Gay advice from Liam. Anyone would probably be better suited.

_Liam: yeah? Don’t know if I’m the right person to talk to tho.. took me 21 years to figure that out. I can try though :)_

This time Zayn takes longer to answer. He keeps starting to text, the three dots appearing and disappearing.

_Zayn: well my crush talked to me tday….. I dont even kno if hes gay… I don’t wanna assume just cause he studies drama and stuff… he talkd to me and I just froze… couldnt say a word really. Sucked cause we were working in a team. Sorry if this is weird. U r pretty much the only gay guy  I know nd you were nice in the coffee shop… sorry._

Liam reads the text three times just to make sure he is reading that right. As far as he can tell, Zayn’s crush is Louis. He really doesn’t want to be wrong about it though. He thinks about for a moment before he replies.

_Liam: Is his name Louis?_

_Zayn: wtf man?? Yes?? How did u kno??_

Liam quickly snaps a picture of Louis in his current state of wallowing and adds a caption.

_Liam: Meet my roommate Louis, currently groaning into his pillow because he talked to his crush today and feels like he messed it all up._

_Zayn: NOOO?? What? How can he feel like that???? He is always so … confident. Did you tell him abt me??_

_Liam: No, didn’t know what you want me to do. Like I don’t want to interfere but he really likes you and he is useless when it comes to crushes._

_Zayn: I dont kno what to do either…_

_Liam: Here’s an idea. We’re going to the pub on Saturday with a couple of other people. Wanna come? It won’t be just the two of you and you can like talk and figure out what you want to do. I won’t tell Louis that you know. Just that you’re coming?_

_Zayn: omg youre the best. Thanks so much honestly. I’m seriously grinning right now. Yeah Saturday sounds good.. just text me time and address and ill be there._

“Okay mate, who are you texting that makes you smile that much? I’m in emotional distress here.” Louis calls from across the room.

“Just …” Liam can’t tell him about Zayn because he might want to see the messages so he says the first name in his head, “Just Harry.”

“Just Harry?” Louis smirks. “And what did _just Harry_ say to make you grin like that?”

Maybe saying Harry’s name wasn’t such a good idea after all. He should have said his mum. Or …  someone from his music theory class. _I really need to get new friends,_ Liam thinks.

“It’s just song stuff. I really like the melody. We’re finally working together.” Liam half lies. It’s true in a way.

“You know, Harry has been staring at you pretty much the whole time while I was with you this afternoon. Especially while you were sucking on that cigarette.”

“Not everyone sees everything as sexual as you do, Lou. Zayn could chew his pencil and you’d get hard.”

“I’m not denying that. His lips are meant to suck dick.” Louis groans again. “God, I wish I at least knew whether he was straight or not.”

Now it’s Liam’s time to smirk.

“You can find that out on Saturday. I invited him along to the pub.”

“What the fuck, Payne? You did not?”

“Yeah I did. I met him on my way back to the flat and we started talking. He didn’t have any plans.” Liam should be concerned how about how easy he finds it to lie to Louis. Or how Louis doesn’t seem to notice.

“Oh my god, you’re killing me. Fucking… what if I embarrass myself?”

“Chill!” Liam tells him the same thing he told Zayn. “I will be there and so will Harry and Niall. And countless other people. You can just talk to him as part of the group. I won’t let you embarrass yourself.”

“Oh my God. I cannot believe it. I don’t even know what to wear?”

Liam sighs.

“Just wear those tight jeans that you say make your arse look good. And like … a t-shirt. We’re just going to the pub. It’s not like you will be underdressed.”

 

Liam wants to take those words back when he actually meets Harry at the pub on Saturday. Harry arrives later than all of them and Liam is busy looking out for Zayn. He had texted him about thirty minutes ago and he should arrive any minute now. Liam had also told Niall and Harry about the plan and told them to make sure Louis drinks, but not too much. Liam is looking at the door when someone tabs him on the back.

“Hey, Liam.” He recognises Harry’s deep voice before he can turn around.

“Hey.”

“I wanna talk to you for a moment.”

Liam’s stomach flutters at that for some reason. He forces his nerves to calm down for a moment before he can answer. Harry probably wants to talk about the project. Or Louis and Zayn. _Deep breaths, Liam._

“Sure, what’s up?”

But Harry shakes his head.

“Not here.” he says before grapping Liam’s wrist and starting to pull him along. Harry’s hand is warm and dry and Liam just stumbles along as Harry manoeuvres them through the people and outside into the cool night air.

Liam shivers a bit as a breeze blows past them but he notices the way it the wind plays with some loose tendrils of Harry’s hair. Tonight, he has a silk scarf wrapped around them to hold the curls from falling into his face. His sheer black shirt is unbuttoned to show off the top of his butterfly tattoo. At first, Liam thought it was a trick of the light but even outside he can see silver glitter on Harry’s chest sparkling in the dull street light. Liam had never before met a guy who would apply body glitter for a night out at the pub but now that he sees it, Liam knows that this is just so _Harry_ he should have been predicting it.

Harry looks at Liam for a moment before he starts talking.

“I know it takes some time to be comfortable with like who you are and stuff.” he says while playing with something in his hand, the other one still clutched around Liam’s wrist.

“I know it took me a while. So, this here,” he brings um Liam’s hand and puts something in his hand. “this is for when you’re ready. It might take some time but one day I hope you are proud of who you are.”  He finishes and releases Liam’s arm. The air feels cold on his skin where Harry’s touch had been.

Liam looks at the object in his hand. It’s a rainbow coloured bracelet made out of string, like a friendship bracelet. Handmade, Liam notes, not all the knots tied quite evenly.

“Did you make that?” Liam asks, a bit stunned.

“Yeah. I have one as well.” And when Liam’s gaze darts down to Harry’s empty wrists he adds, “It’s on my ankle.”

“I …” Liam takes a breath. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”

Harry just smiles at him.

“It’s not much. I just thought you might appreciate it.”

“I do. I really do.”

Harry nods and heads back inside, leaving Liam outside shivering, but not because of the cold. He looks at the bracelet once again before bending down to fix it around his ankle as well.

Zayn arrives about three minutes later, looking nervous and unsure. He is wearing dark jeans and a knit jumper with holes in it. His hair has been styled into a messy quiff and Liam knows Louis is going to love it.

“Hey Zayn. I’m glad you could make it.” Liam says and gives Zayn a hug.

“Yeah me too. I’m so nervous though.”

“Don’t be. Just talk to him, have a drink. You’re both crazy for each other.”

Zayn smiles when they make their way into the bar. Louis is standing by the bar, surrounded by people listening to whatever story he is telling at the moment. Liam might imagine things but could swear Louis’ breath hitches when he sees Zayn join then group.

Liam leaves tLouis and Zayn to not make them feel weird by watching them. For an hour Liam walks around the pub, talks to Niall and some of his friends while getting more and more buzzed. He hadn’t intended to drink much but every time his glass was empty, someone just got back from the bar and handed him a new one. Liam hasn’t seen Louis in quite some time when he stumbles into Harry. Harry puts a steading hand around his hips to prevent a fall. Somehow this makes Liam’s legs even weaker.

“You alright?” Harry asks.

In his hand he has some dark read cocktail with pink umbrella in it. It’s so Harry, Liam has to laugh for a moment. Judging by the pink tint to Harry’s lips, this isn’t his first drink.

“I’m fine. I’m kinda looking for Louis.”

As if Louis could hear him, Liam gets a text that same second.

_Louis: don’t come home. I’m taking zayn there. Thanyks Lima!!!!1 xxx_

“Well, this settles it then.” He snorts. “I guess I also don’t have a place to sleep tonight.”

“Come home with me.” Harry offers without missing a beat.

Liam might be drunk, but he is not sure that going home with Harry is a good idea. Liam is just drunk enough to do something stupid. The thing is, Harry looks fucking delicious. It takes a lot of strength not to stare at Harry’s pink lips and wonder whether they taste as good as they look. Liam bets they taste like cherry. Harry’s hand is still around his hips and Liam feels the warmth radiating through his shirt. Sometime during the last hour, Harry had unbuttoned his shirt almost completely, only a single button connecting both sides. Liam’s fingers itch to open that last button.

“Are you sure?” Liam asks. Suddenly he feels exhausted and a bed – any bed – sounds pretty nice.

“Yeah.”

Liam only notices when Harry smiles that he had been staring at Harry’s lips. When his gaze flicks up to meet Harry’s eyes, he is looking right back at him though hooded eyelids.

“Can we …” Liam stammers. “Can we like, go now? I’m kinda tired.”

Harry takes a step back and the moment is broken but he keeps his around Liam and pushes him softly in the direction of the door. They leave without saying goodbye to Niall.

The pub is not far from Harry’s room and they make the walk there in silence. Liam is too focused on his thoughts any way to make conversation. With every step they get closer to the flat, his heartbeat increases.

The warmth inside is a welcoming change from the cold breeze outside. Liam wonders how Harry did not freeze. The only sign that Harry is not immune to the cold is the fact that Liam can see his stiff nipples through the shirt. He has to look away before he thinks too much about it. His jeans are rather tight as it is already.

“I usually sleep naked.” Harry starts. “I guess I’m gonna stay in my boxers tonight, if that’s okay? Do you need a pair of sweatpants or something?”

Harry’s words make Liam aware for the first time that he had not thought about where he would sleep once he got her. Of course, Niall would need he is bed once he came home. Their room is marginally bigger than his and Louis’ room which means a mattress on the floor is out of the question.  He and Harry will be sharing his bed. Why did Liam agree to this?

Harry keeps looking at Liam expectantly and Liam remembers that had been asked a question.

“Oh yeah it’s fine. I don’t need anything.”

Liam doesn’t think it would improve his situation one bit if on top being on close proximity to Harry, he would be wearing his clothes as well.

They get undressed silently an immediately climb into bed afterwards. In the darkness Liam can almost grasp the electricity between them. He can hear Harry’s heavy breathing next to him, can feel him shiver. Liam counts to 10 in his head before he opens his eyes and turns to face Harry. Harry is already looking back at him.

“Okay, I’m going to say this once.” Liam whispers. He never was one to beat around the bush and he’s seen how keeping quiet turned out for Louis. “I don’t wanna be just one of your stories. I like you and I feel like this could… I don’t know, go somewhere. If you don’t feel like that, that okay to. Just thought you should know.” He finishes with a deep breath. There. He did it.

Harry smiles for a moment before answering.

“I never wanted to make you _one of my stories_ as you put it. You’re right. This could be something.”

“So, if I kiss you now, you will still be the same Harry tomorrow?”

“Yes, I’ll be the same fucking hipster as I always am to you.” Harry giggles.

Liam takes the first step and leans in. The kiss is short and sweet, both of them just softly pressing their lips together for a moment before pulling apart. Liam is confused by Harry’s scrunched up face.

“What’s wrong?”

“I know, this might not be the right moment and all, but I think I just thought of lyrics.”

Liam needs to bury his face into Harry’s neck to hide his smile.

“Go on then, sing them.” He breathes.

_I was stumbling_

_Looking in the dark, with an empty heart._

_But you say, you feel the same._

_Could we ever be enough?_

_Baby we could be enough._

 

 

Liam falls asleep on Harry’s chest that night, a smile still on his lips.

 

Three months later

 

The day of the song reveal, everyone in the classroom is nervous. You can tell by the eerie quietness in the room even before professor Brunetta enters. People are sitting in mostly in pairs. Liam, Harry and Niall are sitting in the back of the class. Liam had woken up incredibly early, too excited to sleep any longer. Louis had not come home the night before and with every passing minute, Liam grows more and more worried that both he and Zayn both have over slept since both of them are quite heavy sleepers as Liam had to find out over the past three months. Countless of mornings he had come home from sleeping at Harry's room to get his gym back or grab fresh clothes, only to find Louis and Zayn sleeping through all the commotion he was making.

With only three minutes to spare, they both arrive at last though. Zayn doesn't bother looking for his partner and walks with Louis to the back of the room.

Both of them are wearing beanies over their head and are dressed in sweatpants. Both of them have a cup of tea in one hand, the other linked together between them. If Liam weren't so happy with Harry, he would find it sickening.

"Finally. I thought we would have to listen to our song about Zayn, without Zayn here." Niall laughs while giving them both a hug.

"I still can't believe you wrote a song about me." Zayn says.

"Well, what can I say, I know how to woe my man."

"Heeeey, Liam, how come you've never written a song about me then?" Harry fake pouts at Liam.

"Harry, you idiot. The two of you wrote a song together about each other." Niall says as he hits Harry over the back of the head.

"That's not the same as writing a song for someone though. I know what the lyrics are. Zayn doesn't"

"But without the song, there wouldn't be an us, babe." Liam points out and kisses Harry's cheek. This still hasn't gotten less exciting if he is being honest. He gets to kiss Harry whenever he wants to. Even in public. Especially in public, as Harry loves to show everyone that he is a kept man, not single, off limits for everyone. He practically begs Liam to leave marks. Well... sometimes he actually does beg.

The second the professor enters the room, everyone goes completely still. No one even dares to breath too loud.

"Good morning class. I see in your faces that all of you are nervous and excited to share their work. I won't be talking for all too long, as we have quite a few songs to listen to. Let me just say, all of you did excellent work. There is not one pair I had to fail and I can tell how much work you all put into this. I have put up all the songs, into a secret playlist on YouTube. You can only access them with the link and I'm gonna send them out after class so you can all share your work with others if you want." He takes a pause and smiles. "So without waiting much longer, let’s hear the first song. I don't think I need to remind you to all stay quiet during the songs. It might not be your genre but your colleagues are and should be proud of it and I don't want anyone's pride be ruined today."

Then he sets up his laptop and starts the first song.

Liam doesn't know when their song will be played so he listens carefully. Professor Brunetta was right, the songs are really good, considering that for many this was the first time writing a song. Some of his colleagues have really nice voices as well, something he never knew. After every song, there is a polite round of applause.

It’s after about half an hour that Louis and Niall’s song plays. While Niall looks a bit anxious, Louis just looks smug. He smiles at Zayn with a dark twinkle in his eyes.

“I wrote it the night after the pub.” Louis adds.

 _Waking up_  
Beside you I’m a loaded gun  
I can't contain this anymore  
I'm all yours, I've got no control, no control  
Powerless  
And I don't care it's obvious  
I just can't get enough of you  
The pedal's down, my eyes are closed  
No control  
  
Lost my senses  
I'm defenceless  
Your perfume’s holding me ransom  
Sweet and sour  
Heart devoured  
Lying here I count the hours

By the end of the song both Louis and Zayn are giggling at each other. Zayn makes a joke about how Brunetta said no explicit lyrics to which Niall replies,

“Just be glad he didn’t go with ‘I wanna come on your face’ like he originally wanted to.”

Everyone but Louis ignores the way Zayn blushes and squirms.

They all quietly listen to some more songs and praise Zayn’s voice when his sing comes up. Liam’s song is one of the last songs that day.

"The next one is by Harry Styles and Liam Payne. It's called 'Home'"

Next to him Harry sucks in a sharp breath and Liam takes his hand and gives him a squeeze.

"I'm so proud of us." he whispers as he kisses the back of his hand, smiling at their matching rainbow bracelets.

[Liam:]  
Make a little conversation  
So long I've been waiting  
To let go of myself and feel alive  
  
So many nights I thought it over  
Told myself I kind of liked her  
But there was something missing in her eyes  
  
[Harry:]  
I was stumbling, looking in the dark (ohho)  
With an empty heart  
But you say you feel the same  
Could we ever be enough?  
Baby we could be enough  
  
[Both:]  
And it's alright  
Calling out for somebody to hold tonight  
When you're lost, I'll find the way  
I'll be your light  
You'll never feel like you're alone  
I'll make this feel like home

Maybe Liam is imagining it but he feels like the applause after their song is one of the loudest.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment or kudos! xx


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